Academics ::

Studying HCI at UMD

There are many ways to study HCI at UMD - from taking occasional courses to getting a degree. We welcome students from around campus to study and work with us.

Courses

HCIL has compiled a list of human-computer interaction courses offered at the University of Maryland. In addition to courses to be taught by HCIL members, there are courses being offered from several different departments which have shown interest in human-computer interaction issues. HCIL would like to help to increase visibility for HCI courses and this topic in general.

Undergraduate degree

While there is no specific undergraduate degree in HCI at UMD, it is possible to concentrate in HCI through the UMD Individual Studies Program (IVSP). The IVSP allows a student to create their own major and program of study. We are currently working with the IVSP program to help define a typical HCI sequence for the IVSP program. Until we have established this sequence, you must define your own course sequence with any faculty advisor you choose. Learn more about the IVSP program.

Master's degree

The College of Information Studies, Maryland's iSchool, offers a Master of Science degree in Human-Computer Interaction. The HCI Master's degree integrates information studies, computer science, education, psychology and engineering to prepare HCI leaders of the future. Through coursework and research experiences, students in this program will develop skills in fundamentals of Human-Computer Interaction, advanced research methods, usability analysis and testing, social computing strategies and technologies, and technology design. Electives, individual research experiences, and projects will allow students to develop their own specialties within HCI. To learn more about the HCI Masters Degree, visit the HCIL's Masters Program website or the iSchool's HCI Master's website.

Ph.D. in HCI

The Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory (HCIL) is an interdisciplinary research community, but prospective students must be admitted and pursue a degree in a particular department, usually computer science, library science, information management, psychology, or education. Once admitted we consider students for Graduate Research Assistantships and for participation in projects. Often projects involve students from several units and we collaborate regularly. Learn more about studying HCI as a PhD student at UMD.